Stripped bare – bushfire loophole denuding Inverloch

INVERLOCH is in danger of losing its iconic vegetation as residents appear to be misusing Victorian Government legislation to clear blocks.
The revelation follows The Star’s (July 30 edition) report of increasing incidence of tree poisoning to give a sea view and increase property values at Inverloch.
The government introduced the 10/30 rule to reduce bushfire risk in the wake of the Black Saturday fires in 2009.
The rule allows homeowners across Victoria to remove all vegetation within 10m of buildings erected or approved before September 10, 2009, without a permit. Any vegetation other than trees can be cleared within 30m.
But some people are removing vegetation around old houses, citing bushfire risk, and once the trees are gone, demolishing the homes to make way for bigger new homes or multiple townhouses.
The rate at which vegetation is being cleared around Inverloch has alarmed Dave Sutton, president of the Inverloch Residents and Ratepayers Association and South Gippsland Conservation Society.
“There have been a lot of people using it (10/30 rule) to remove trees they do not like,” he said.
“The disturbing thing I find is that people buy a treed block and clear all the trees from it. Why don’t they just buy a cleared block somewhere?
“The whole of Inverloch is covered by vegetation but it is slowly and surely going.”
Shadow Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Lisa Neville urged the State Government to act.
“The Napthine Government needs to ensure planning and bushfire protection rules and regulations are adhered to by all property owners,” she said.
“If property owners are using the 10/30 rule not for bushfire protection but to remove vegetation to assist with future housing development then the government needs to investigate and take the appropriate action, including strengthening the regulations and oversight if that is required.”

The Star has been informed of some properties being cleared under the rule. Mr Sutton said he’s had suspicions for a while.
“Personally I think the State Government needs to look at the loophole but I can’t see them doing it because it’s all about protection from bushfires and for them to do something would not be politically favourable,” he said.
Vegetation on blocks less than 0.4ha can be cleared without a permit in most towns, but not at Inverloch, which is governed by a vegetation protection overlay that requires a permit to be obtained to clear bush.
But the 10/30 rule overrides this, enabling vegetation to be cleared without a permit where bushfire is a risk.
Bass Coast Shire Council environment manager Alison Creighton was unaware of instances where the 10/30 rule has been used inappropriately.
“It may not be morally correct but legally it probably is,” she said.
Neither is South Gippsland Shire Council aware of the ruling being used for the wrong motives.
Council’s statutory planner David Simon said: “It is difficult to prove that it is a misuse because the regulations do not state a purpose for the clearing.”
Mr Sutton’s groups have been trying to encourage people to retain trees in Inverloch but he is concerned the message is not being received.
“I know of a block where five mature trees have been demolished. We will never get that back. It displaces a lot of wildlife,” he said.
The office of Deputy Premier Peter Ryan referred The Star to the Department of Transport, Planning and Infrastructure.
A department spokesperson said the 10/30 rule was introduced with the best of intentions.
“Victorian planning schemes and building regulations include specific requirements for building new dwellings in bushfire prone areas,” the spokesperson said.
“This includes an expectation that when siting new buildings that every effort is made to site dwellings away from the bushfire hazard and where native vegetation removal can be avoided and minimised.”

Not on: arborist Peter Bateman of Arborzone Professional Tree Services is against the poisoning of trees in Inverloch but a government loophole could allow blocks to be cleared having the town loose it’s iconic vegetation.

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Posted by Jacob De Kunder on Aug 20 2013. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry